In many ways, celebrity parents are just like us — including in their busy schedules. The moms and dads of Hollywood have just as much to do as we do, and they often need help. For that, they turn to discrete, hard-working and flexible nannies.
The people charged with caring for famous children lead some interesting lives. They spend time in the lifestyles of the rich and famous, seeing all the weird wonders it has to offer, but they are busy working through the whole thing. They leave their regular lives to spend hours or days at a time catering to the whims of kids who truly can have whatever they want, as far as they know.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Even more surprising is what we do not hear about. Celebrity nannies and caretakers can be hit with non-disclosure agreements, making their bizarre jobs a mystery — and an even more tantalizing one at that.
Still, some details slip out, whether through leaks, loopholes or heresay. There’s not telling how much we can trust reports from alleged celebrity nannies, but according to Scribol, these are as accurate as we have.
Here are some of the strangest details from celebrity nannies.
Big Perks
First up, it is no surprise that celebrity nannies enjoy some huge perks from their jobs. Obviously, they spend time wherever the famous kids do, including mansions, movie sets, yachts and high-end restaurants. Some nannies have said that they even begin to feel like members of the family over time, as they become indispensable to the busy stars.
Strange Demands
At the same time, the glitz and glam of celebrity life can come at the cost of some strange demands for the unwary nannies. Some have reportedly been asked to switch their hygiene products and perfumes to make sure their scents match that of the celebrity moms they are working for, so that the baby feels more comfortable with them.
On the other hand, if a celebrity picks up an odd fixation, it may fall on the nanny to make it happen. For example, Kate Gosselin’s nannies were reportedly asked to care for her chickens, in addition to her eight children. The reality star has allegedly been through more than a dozen nannies as they quit, get fired or get replaced.
One of the strangest demands of all reportedly came from Victoria Beckham, who wanted all of her nannies to go by the name “Jo” no matter what. This is because her child had never gotten over their first nanny by that name.
‘On Call’
Another expectation for celebrity nannies is constant availability. It may be hard to maintain a social life outside of work, as some say they are always “on call” for their celebrity childcare job.
Madonna reportedly expected her nannies to be available at any hour, day or not if she need them, while Gosselin reportedly expected them to work 24 hours a day for days and days at a time. Angelina Jolie, meanwhile, has reportedly left her nannies to supervise her kids’ “TV all-nighters” while she herself went off to get some sleep.
Unique Responsibilities
Schedule demands aside, celebrities have reportedly asked a lot of their nannies over the years. One report suggests that Beyoncé expects nannies to dance for the entertainment of her kids, while another says that Sarah Jessica Parker wants them to sing “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” whenever her children need them to.
One of biggest requests, however, comes from Chris Hemsworth, who reportedly only hires bilingual nannies. The movie star expects the caretakers to spend portions of the day speaking exclusively in Spanish, in the hopes that his kids will learn the language organically.
Incentives
Some reports say that nannies have been tempted with unusual incentives as well. In addition to the fabulous lifestyle perks listed above, some stars reportedly offer perks in exchange for coaxing certain behavior out of their kids.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, for example, reportedly pay a bonus to nannies who can get their kids to sleep through the night. The family supposedly has a big rotating staff of caretakers that can get pretty expensive.
Dress-Up
Some celebrity nannies say they have been provided with designer clothes, which they are expected to wear on the job. As nice as this sounds, it may be hard to chase after children in high-end clothes — especially if they are nicer than anything you own yourself.
On the other hand, some say they are expected to dress for the kids’ amusement, whether they like it or not. Gwen Stefani reportedly wants her male nannies to be dressed as superheroes at all times, making for some awkward spandex-clad shifts.
Harassment
Of course, working in close quarters in a star’s home can lead to some uncomfortable moments with them as well. Mick Jagger reportedly once greeted his nanny fully nude, having just stepped out of the shower. However, whether an incident like that constitutes harassment can get tricky because of the next point.
Secrecy and Discretion
Nannies, like many staffers working for celebrities, may be asked to sign non-disclosure agreements. This can prohibit them from talking about who they work for, what they do and many other details of their profession — even with those closest to them. Of course, this just makes the world of celebrity childcare that much more mysterious and fascinating, but hopefully, the stories will continue finding their way out into the world.
